Welcome back to school and welcome to Team Pioneer!  You have made it to the best team in the building.  No, I ‘m not a bit biased.  This blog is the place you can find everything you need to succeed in language arts this year.  You will join the conversation by leaving comments on my posts.  Soon I will add you as users, and you will be able to write your own posts on our class blog.  Before you know it, you will be blogging away on your own.  This week we’ll get started by getting to know you. 

Thursday

Poem: Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins

Interview a classmate:  Choose a partner–the person in class you know the least about.  Take five index cards.  Fold   Number the cards 1 – 5.  Complete each section.

     Card 1 (3 minutes):  Write down five questions you want to ask your partner to get to know them better.

     Card 2 (5-7 minutes):  Ask your partner your questions.  Record his or her answers on your second card.  If you are getting just yes or no answers, rephrase your questions and ask them again.

Card 3 (3-5 minutes):  Look over the answers to your questions.  What surprised you?  intrigued you?  What do you want to know more about?  List 5 more questions on your third card that FOCUS on that one thing.

Card 4 (5-7 minutes):  Ask your questions and record your partner’s answers on your fourth card.  This time, try for direct quotes, significant words which show the voice or uniqueness of the person.  Note body language, too.  (How does the person respond nonverbally to your questions?)

Card 5 (11 minutes):  Develop a draft of a piece of writing which would help a reader get to know the person you are interviewing, OR about anything you heard your partner say that you would like to talk more about.    Follow the writing wherever it takes you.  Try for direct quotes.  Pay particular attention to your LEAD, or beginning.  Click here for examples of different ways other students and teachers begin their writing. 

HOMEWORK:  Give my letter to your parents or other responsible adult who knows you well.  Ask (nicely) if they will write me a letter in return, telling me all about you.  You have three ways to complete this assignment:  1) your parent or guardian writes the letter; 2) another responsible adult who knows you well writes the letter; 3) you write the letter yourself.   If you loose my letter, click here for another copy.  Give a copy of my class rules to your parent/guardian and ask them to sign it.  Don’t forget to sign it, too.  Both of these are due Monday.  You should also have all your supplies for my class by Monday (2″ binder with 5 dividers, lots of paper, pens/pencils, flash drive if you can). 

Friday

Read aloud:  Honor the Ish by Peter H. Reynolds:  How can we Honor the Ish in our classroom?

Get out your rough draft from yesterday and read it aloud to your partner.  Partners  respond to what they like or hear–words, phrases, information that sticks out–, asks any questions, and confirms information or interpretation. 

Revise your draft:  add, delete, reorganize, clarify, etc.

Would anyone like to share their writing? 

Meet the Reading Log:  Your homework for the rest of the year is to read–30 minutes a day at least five days a week.  That is 2 1/2 hours every week.  You decide when to read and what to read.  You will record it on your Reading Log.  Your Reading Log must be signed every week by your parent or guardian in order to be a valid grade.  Reading Logs are due every Friday!   You can print off a copy of the Reading Log from the Language Arts Binder tab at the top of the page. 

Happy Reading!